Electrocardiograph leadwire assembly

Abstract

An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly to be used with a plurality of electrodes, from which it receives cardiac electrical signals, and with an electrocardiograph monitoring unit, to which it transmits the electrical signals for processing and eventual display of the electrocardiogram. The leadwire assembly includes a plurality of leadwires connected in electrical communication between a different one of the electrodes and an associated port on the electrocardiograph monitoring unit, and a main housing wherein at least one of the leadwires is selectively retracted into an individual, isolated, retracted position within the main housing such that all of the leadwires are maintained untangled and prepared for immediate extension from the main housing for use when needed.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly structured to electrically communicate information between a monitor and a plurality of electrodes securable to a patient's skin, said electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly comprising: 
       a plurality of leadwires each interconnected in electrical communication between a different one of the electrodes and the monitoring unit and structured to provide transmission of cardiac electrical signals received by the plurality of electrodes,  
       a main housing structured and disposed to contain at least one of said leadwires in individual isolated, retracted relation therein; and  
       retraction means for selectively retracting said at least one leadwire into said main housing such that a portion of said at least one leadwire that is exposed from said housing can be individually controlled, and such that said at least one leadwire is maintained substantially untangled and prepared for extension from said main housing.  
     
     
       2. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  1  wherein said retraction means of said leadwire assembly further comprises: 
       at least one shaft;  
       at least one anterior contact rotatably disposed about said shaft;  
       at least one medial contact, said medial contact including a contact end and a medial end;  
       said medial end of said medial contact being secured to said shaft;  
       said contact end of said medial contact being disposed in conductive abutment with said anterior contact such that upon said anterior contact rotating about said shaft, said anterior contact also rotates relative to said contact end of said medial contact while maintaining conductive abutment therewith;  
       an anterior leadwire included as part of said at least one leadwire, said anterior leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end;  
       said distal end of said anterior leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement with at least one of said electrodes, so as to receive said electrical signal from said patient's heart which is received by said electrode connected therewith;  
       said proximal end of said anterior leadwire being conductively affixed to said anterior contact;  
       a medial leadwire, said medial leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end;  
       said distal end of said medial leadwire being conductively affixed to said medial contact, and said proximal end of said medial leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement with said associated port on said receiving means so as to transmit said electrical signal received by said electrode thereto; and  
       said anterior leadwire including a retracted orientation and an extended orientation, said retracted orientation including a substantial part of said anterior leadwire wound generally about said shaft and contained within said housing, and said extended orientation including a portion of said anterior leadwire extended from said housing into connecting relation with said electrode on the patient's body.  
     
     
       3. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  2  wherein said anterior leadwire is structured to wind around said shaft into said retracted orientation upon rotation of said anterior contact in a first direction about said shaft, and said anterior leadwire is structured to unwind from said shaft into said extended orientation upon rotation of said anterior contact in a second direction about said shaft, opposite said first direction. 
     
     
       4. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  3  wherein said retraction means of said leadwire assembly further includes biasing means structured and disposed to bias said anterior contact to rotate about said shaft in said first direction. 
     
     
       5. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  4  wherein retraction means of said leadwire assembly further includes retraction gate means structured and disposed to selectively oppose rotation of said anterior contact in said first direction. 
     
     
       6. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  5  wherein said shaft of said retraction means of said leadwire assembly is generally hollow and includes at least one open end and an aperture in an exterior sidewall thereof, said medial leadwire being structured and disposed to extend through said aperture, into said shaft and then out of said open end of said shaft for engagement with said associated port on said receiving means of the electrocardiograph monitoring unit. 
     
     
       7. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  6  wherein said retraction means of said leadwire assembly further includes a reel rotatably fixed about said shaft, said reel comprising a cylindrical drum disposed in spaced, concentric relation about said shaft and at least one flange, said cylindrical drum being structured and disposed to receive said anterior leadwire in wound, wrapped relation thereabout. 
     
     
       8. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  7  wherein said drum of said reel of said leadwire assembly further includes an aperture formed therein and structured to permit conductive engagement between said proximal end of said anterior leadwire and said anterior contact. 
     
     
       9. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  8  wherein said anterior contact of said leadwire assembly is generally ring-shaped and is secured to said flange of said reel between said shaft and said drum of said reel such that said anterior contact may rotate directly about said shaft. 
     
     
       10. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  9  wherein said anterior contact of said leadwire assembly includes a contact appendage extending from said anterior contact through said aperture in said drum of said reel into conductive engagement with said proximal end of said anterior leadwire. 
     
     
       11. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  10  wherein said main housing of said leadwire assembly includes at least one exit port and is secured to said shaft of said retraction means about said reel, said anterior leadwire being structured to pass through said exit port for engagement at said distal end of said anterior leadwire with said electrode for receiving said cardiac electrical signal. 
     
     
       12. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  11  wherein said retraction gate means comprises a locking mechanism affixed to said housing for selectively limiting the movement of said anterior leadwire. 
     
     
       13. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  12  wherein said main housing of said leadwire assembly is structured to contain said plurality of leadwires, each of said leadwires being structured and disposed for individual, isolated, retracted containment therein. 
     
     
       14. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  13  wherein each of said plurality of leadwires includes one of said retraction means contained within said main housing. 
     
     
       15. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  2  wherein said anterior leadwire includes at least one conductive wire therein extending from said distal end to said proximal end of said anterior leadwire, and 
       said retraction means includes at least one of said anterior contacts, said one of said anterior contacts being connected to a corresponding one of said conductive wires of said anterior leadwire.  
     
     
       16. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  15  wherein said medial leadwire includes at least one conductive wire extending from said distal end to said proximal end of said medial leadwire, and 
       said retraction means includes at least one of said medial contacts, said one of said medial contacts being connected to a corresponding one of said conductive wires of said medial leadwire.  
     
     
       17. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly structured to electrically communicate information between a monitor unit and a plurality of electrodes securable to a patients skin, said electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly comprising: 
       a plurality of leadwires each interconnected in electrical communication between a different one of the electrodes and the monitoring unit and structured to provide transmission of cardiac electrical signals received by the plurality of electrodes,  
       a main housing structured and disposed to contain at least one of said leadwires in individual, isolated, retracted relation therein;  
       retraction means included in said main housing for collectively retracting said at least one leadwire into said main housing such that a portion thereof that is exposed from said housing can be individually controlled, and such that said at least one leadwire is maintained substantially untangled and prepared for extension from said main housing; and  
       coupling means structured for interconnecting said plurality of leadwires in information transmitting communication with the monitoring unit.  
     
     
       18. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  17  wherein said retraction means further comprise: 
       at least one shaft;  
       at least one anterior contact rotatably disposed about said shaft;  
       at least one medial contact, said medial contact including a contact end and a medial end;  
       said medial end of said medial contact being secured to said shaft;  
       said contact end of said medial contact being disposed in conductive abutment with said anterior contact such that upon said anterior contact rotating about said shaft, said anterior contact also rotates relative to said contact end of said medial contact while maintaining conductive abutment therewith;  
       an anterior leadwire included as part of said at least one leadwire, said anterior leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end;  
       said distal end of said anterior leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement with one of said electrodes, so as to receive said electrical signal from said patient's heart which is received by said electrode connected therewith;  
       said proximal end of said anterior leadwire being conductively affixed to said anterior contact; and  
       a medial leadwire, said medial leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end;  
       said distal end of said medial leadwire being conductively affixed to said medial contact, and said proximal end of said medial leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement with said associated port on said receiving means through said coupling means so as to transmit said electrical signal received by said electrode thereto; and  
       said anterior leadwire including a retracted orientation and an extended orientation, said retracted orientation including a substantial part of said anterior leadwire wound generally about said shaft and contained within said housing, and said extended orientation including a portion of said anterior leadwire extended from said housing into connecting relation with the electrode on the patient's body.  
     
     
       19. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  18  wherein said anterior leadwire is structured to wind around said shaft into said retracted orientation upon rotation of said anterior contact in a first direction about said shaft, and said anterior leadwire is structured to unwind from said shaft into said extended orientation upon rotation of said anterior contact in a second direction about said shaft, opposite said first direction, and 
       said retraction means further include biasing means structured and disposed to bias said anterior contact to rotate about said shaft in said first direction.  
     
     
       20. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  19  wherein said retraction means further include a reel rotatably fixed about said shaft, said reel comprising a cylindrical drum disposed in spaced, concentric relation about said shaft and at least one flange, said cylindrical drum being structured and disposed to receive said anterior leadwire in wound, wrapped relation thereabout. 
     
     
       21. An electrocardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  20  wherein said main housing is structured to contain said plurality of leadwires, each of said leadwires being structured and disposed for individual, isolated, retracted containment therein, and each of said plurality of leadwires including one of said retraction means contained within said main housing. 
     
     
       22. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly structured to electrically communicate information between a monitor and a plurality of electrodes securable to a patient's skin, said electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly comprising: 
       a plurality of leadwires each interconnected in electrical communication between a different one of the electrodes and the monitoring unit and structures to provide transmission of cardiac electrical signals  
       received by the plurality of electrodes,  
       a main housing structured and disposed to contain at least one of said leadwires in individual isolated, retracted relation therein; and  
       retraction means for selectively retracting said at least one leadwire into said main housing such that a portion of said at least one leadwire that is exposed from said housing can be individually controlled, and such that said at least one leadwire is maintained substantially untangled and prepared for extension from said main housing;  
       at least one shaft; at least one groove disposed about a perimeter of said shaft; a conductive material coating disposed within said groove; and  
       at least one elongate, electrically conductive finger, said conductive finger being structured and disposed to ride in said groove, in conductive abutment with said conductive material such that upon said conductive finger rotating about said shaft, said conductive finger maintains conductive abutment within said groove.  
     
     
       23. An electrical cardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  22  further comprising said at least one leadwire including an interior leadwire, said interior leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end; said distal end of said interior leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement with at least one of the electrodes so as to receive electrical signals from the patient, said proximal end of said interior leadwire being conductively affixed to said conductive finger; said conductive material coating being electrically interconnected to the monitoring unit through said coupling means so as to transmit electrical signals received from the electrodes. 
     
     
       24. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  23  further comprising said interior leadwire including a retracted orientation and an extended orientation, said retracted orientation including a substantial part of said interior leadwire wound generally about said shaft and contained within said housing, said extended orientation including a portion of said interior leadwire extended from said housing into connecting relation with the electrode on the patient's skin. 
     
     
       25. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly structured to electrically communicate information between a monitor unit and a plurality of electrodes securable to a patient's skin, said electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly comprising: 
       a plurality of leadwires each interconnected in electrical communication between a different one of the electrodes and the monitoring unit and structured to provide transmission of cardiac electrical signals received by the plurality of electrodes,  
       a main housing structured and disposed to contain at least one of said leadwires in individual, isolated, retracted relation therein;  
       retraction means included in said main housing for collectively retracting said at least one leadwire into said main housing such that a portion thereof that is exposed from said housing can be individually controlled, and such that said at least one leadwire is maintained substantially untangled and prepared for extension from said main housing; and  
       coupling means structured for interconnecting said plurality of leadwires in information transmitting communication with the monitoring unit;  
       at least one shaft; at least one groove disposed about a perimeter of said shaft; a conductive material coating disposed within said groove, at least one elongate, electrically conductive finger, said conductive finger being structured and disposed to ride in said groove, said conductive finger being disposed in conductive abutment with said conductive material such that upon rotation of said conductive finger about said shaft, said conductive finger maintains conductive abutment within said groove.  
     
     
       26. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  25  further comprising an interior leadwire as part of said at least one leadwire, said interior leadwire including a proximal end and a distal end; said distal end of said interior leadwire being structured and disposed for conductive engagement within one of said electrodes, so as to receive an electrical signal from the electrode connected to said one leadwire and the patient's skin, said proximal end of said interior leadwire being conductively affixed to said conductive finger. 
     
     
       27. An electrode cardiograph leadwire assembly as recited in claim  26  wherein said conductive material coating is electrically and conductively interconnected to said coupling means, said interior leadwire including a retracted orientation and an extended orientation, said retracted orientation including a substantial part of said interior leadwire wound generally about said shaft and contained within said housing, and said extended orientation including a portion of said interior leadwire from said housing into connecting relation with the electrode on the patient's skin.